Library Guides: Weather and Climatology: Climatological Data for the World

Specific Countries and Regions

Directories of Countries

Each report contains a set of maps and diagrams demonstrating the observed and projected climates of that country. A narrative summarizes the data in the figures. A dataset containing the underlying observed and model data for that country, is made available for use in further research projects in text format which can easily downloaded, read and manipulated.

Canada

Historical Climate Data for Canada

Monthly Meteorological Summary (QC985.5.O6A2 Crerar Library - print)

Monthly Record: Meteorological Observations in Canada

Great Britain and UK

Historical Central England Temperature Data (researchers may apply for free access)
With data from 1659+ this is the longest available instrumental record of temperature in the world

Met Office Data Point

The Climate of London (QC989.G7H85 Regenstein Special Collections - print)
This work is also available online to UChicago users

UK Weather Data
Provides a variety of observational data, both current and historical.

Sources for Global Data

GCOS Essential Climate Variable (ECV) Data Access Matrix
Portal that provides a common access point to global and regional data sets and analyses for use in various aspects of climate research.
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Created in partnership with NASA, this resource uses the Global Change Master Directory to provide metadata. Data are not normalized and may be in any format, but there is documentation to guide users in selecting the data that best fits their needs.

Monthly Climatic Data for the World
Contains monthly mean temperature, pressure, precipitation, vapor pressure, and sunshine for approximately 2,000 surface data collection stations worldwide and monthly mean upper air temperatures, dew point depressions, and wind Velocities for approximately 500 observing sites.
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Geographic coverage: Global
Access: Free
Dates: 1988+
Language: English
Frequency: Monthly
Format: Web
World weather records, 1921-current
World Weather Records is a book series (one volume per region; eg--Africa) with monthly and annual values of mean temperature, total precipitation, mean station pressure, and mean sea level pressures for thousands of stations around the world. Published once every 10 years containing the data for the previous decade. (QC982.W95 Crerar Library)
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Geographic coverage: Global
Access: Free
Dates: 1921+
Language: English
Frequency: Every 10 years
Format: Print
World weather records, 1750-1920
Compiled by Henry Helm Clayton and first published as "Smithsonian miscellaneous collections and publications." (QC982.C6 and Q11.S7 Crerar Library)
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Geographic coverage: Global
Access: Free
Dates: 1750-1920
Language: English
Frequency: N/A
Format: Print
World Data Center for Meteorology
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Various data sets and data products from international programs and/or experiments, including meteorological and nuclear radiation data for International Geophysical Year (IGY)(see IGY Annuals, Vol.26); meteorological data and data products from Global Atmospheric Research Program, World Climate Research Program, World Climate Data and Monitoring Program; and data (including data publications) exchanged with the WDC by participating countries. Quality control is performed and documentation prepared by designated experiment centers or contributors before submission to WDC.
Global Historical Fields
Resource with daily surface charts for the period 1899 through April 1994. Daily upper air charts (700 mb, 500 mb, 300mb) are available from the late 1940's through April 1994. Surface charts contour sea level pressure only (not station plots); upper air charts contour geopotential heights and temperatures. (QC885.G662 Crerar Library Multimedia)
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Geographic coverage: Northern Hemisphere
Access: Free in library; for sale from NOAA
Dates: 1899-1994
Language: English
Frequency: Varies
Format: CDROM
Global Daily Summary: temperature and precipitation 1977-1991
Provides access to a 10,000- station set of daily maximum/minimum temperature, daily precipitation, and 3-hourly present weather for the 1977-1991 period of record. A data inventory contains station name, latitude/longitude, elevation, period of record, and the number of observations of available data.
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Geographic coverage: Global
Access: In library
Dates: 1977-1991
Language: English
Frequency: Daily
Format: CDROM
International surface weather observations, 1982-1997
Includes hourly and/or synoptic climatic data for approximately 1500 international stations; provides worldwide coverage of city locations.
(QC981.I58 1998 Crerar Library Multimedia)
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Geographic coverage: Global
Access: In Library
Dates: 1982-1997
Language: English
Frequency: Hourly
Format: CDROM
International station meteorological climate summary
The National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), in cooperation with the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Air Force, developed this resource for 640 world wide stations and 5434 of the World Wide Airfield Summary Stations. Contains detailed climate summaries, including surface air temperature, humidity, winds and precipitation, from meteorological stations worldwide. (QC982.5.I584 1995 Crerar Library Multimedia)
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Geographic Coverage: Global
Access: In Library or for sale by NOAA
Dates:
Language: English
Frequency:
Format: CDROM
Weatherbase
Provides weather informatio for more than 16,000 cities. Average, highest and lowest temperatures and avaerage precipitation for most cities; other information such as fog and cloud cover, humidity or snow cover provided for some cities.
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Geographic coverage: Global
Access: Free
Dates: Reported averages based on 30-50 years of reported data
Language: English
Frequency: N/A
Format: Web
Historical Weather Database
Temperature and precipitation data for 2,000 cities worldwide is available.
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Geographic coverage: Global
Access: Free
Dates: 1961-1990
Language: English
Frequency:
Format: Web
Bulletin of International Meteorology
Published by the Army Signal Corps. (QC982.U5 Crerar Library) Earlier title on microform (J83.U13 1990:W4207-1 to W4207-5 Regenstein Library Microforms)
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Geographic Coverage: Global
Access: In library
Dates: 1884
Language: English
Frequency:
Format: Print

Contact Information

Andrea Twiss-Brooks
Director, Humanities and Area Studies
Chemistry and Geophysical Sciences Librarian
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